Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Alesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Alesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,739 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $2,215 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,814 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $3,317 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,888 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $4,418 in Alesund, rent included.

Bethlehem, PA costs about 24% more than Alesund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bethlehem, PA and Alesund sit above the global median – Bethlehem, PA by 105%, Alesund by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 $17.81

$20.27 NOK 195

-12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 $50.6

$87.7 NOK 845

-42.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$12.72 NOK 122

2.91%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$3.94 NOK 37.90

28.68%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.00 NOK 19.28

46.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.27 NOK 21.82

-14.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 $5.30

$11.20 NOK 108

-52.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.93 NOK 86.0

-10.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.43 NOK 23.40

-55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.91 NOK 28.07

39.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.82 NOK 27.12

54.96%

Eggs

$4.13 $4.13

$3.94 NOK 37.98

4.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$14.23 NOK 137

-13.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.82 $16.82

$13.33 NOK 128

26.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.39 $21.39

$22.52 NOK 217

-5.02%

Apples (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$2.86 NOK 27.57

312.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.40 NOK 23.08

-44.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.23 NOK 21.45

103.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.48 NOK 33.56

104.89%

Potato (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.71 NOK 26.13

98.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.79 NOK 17.24

56.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.87 NOK 27.60

-2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.04 NOK 19.67

-6.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.93 $9.93

$14.04 NOK 135

-29.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.19 $16.19

$17.23 NOK 166

-6.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 $4.25

$3.30 NOK 31.74

28.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.03 NOK 38.86

25.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$4.49 NOK 43.20

-54.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$65.9 NOK 635

-10.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$12.11 NOK 117

-71.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.18 NOK 21.01

-27.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.07 $29.07

$73.7 NOK 710

-60.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$2.17 NOK 20.93

-59.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.9K $29.9K

$35.9K NOK 345.8K

-16.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$43.8K NOK 421.4K

-41.98%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$224 $224

$240 NOK 2,312

-6.86%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$39.04 NOK 376

62.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$39.85 NOK 384

53.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.51 $36.51

$57.3 NOK 552

-36.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.76 NOK 296

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$17.47 NOK 168

-12.88%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,019 $1,019

$268 NOK 2,577

281.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$2,464 NOK 23.7K

864.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 $54.5

$85.4 NOK 822

-36.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.67 $29.67

$44.17 NOK 425

-32.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 $65.7

$110 NOK 1,060

-40.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 $80.0

$135 NOK 1,298

-40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 $1,490

$944 NOK 9,093

57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 $1,305

$794 NOK 7,645

64.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 $2,109

$1,396 NOK 13.4K

51.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 $1,985

$1,144 NOK 11.0K

73.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,158 $2,158

$4,409 NOK 42.5K

-51.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,171 $2,171

$2,429 NOK 23.4K

-10.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,583 $3,583

$4,120 NOK 39.7K

-13.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

4.03

64.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bethlehem, PA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Alesund: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Bethlehem, PA versus $944 in Alesund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Alesund, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Bethlehem, PA versus $88.0 in Alesund. Groceries tell a different story – $511 in Bethlehem, PA vs $419 in Alesund – so Alesund wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bethlehem, PA vs Alesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,739 in Bethlehem, PA, $2,215 in Alesund – roughly 24% apart. Bethlehem, PA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,109 per month in Bethlehem, PA and $3,323 in Alesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alesund, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Bethlehem, PA and $88.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,739 in Bethlehem, PA and $2,215 in Alesund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alesund, where all-in costs run around $2,215, than in Bethlehem, PA at $2,739. In Alesund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethlehem, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Alesund has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,215 in Alesund to $2,739 in Bethlehem, PA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alesund. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethlehem, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.